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Anna Leigh and Lea Jansen
Score: 11-6,11-3,11-4 (3 out of 5 Games) (Match Point) (Highlight Reel 13+mins) |
They say Disney World is “where dreams come true.” Well, just miles away, during the inaugural PPA Orlando Cup at the USTA National Campus, our dreams certainly came true as Anna Leigh won gold in pro women’s singles, and Team Waters (me and Anna Leigh) won gold in pro women’s doubles. Both finals were covered by and aired on the Tennis Channel, and to say that the emotions were running high is an understatement.
Not only were emotions high, but the conditions during the PPA Orlando Cup were particularly extreme. There were multiple rain delays throughout the 4-day event, and the heat and humidity were off the charts.
As an aside, I don’t think I’ve ever sweated as much as I did in the pro women’s final. In fact, during the 2nd game of the best of 5 game final, I could really feel myself becoming sluggish and void of energy. My husband, Stephen, had to run to the car to get me Liquid IV, which I quickly drank during the break before the 3rd game, and then continued to drink another Liquid IV throughout the rest of the match. Luckily for me, the Liquid IVs revived me and enabled me to feel strong to grind out each point thereafter. (Read More)
On the other side of the draw, the #2 seeds Jessie Irvine / Catherine Parenteau had an exciting quarterfinal against Sarah Ansboury / Jorja Johnson, beating them 11-7, 9-11, 11-5. This put Irvine / Parenteau in the other semifinal against Leigh Waters / Anna Leigh Waters – a team that has come roaring back to the top this year after taking 2020 off from professional play due to concerns about Covid-19. Despite Irvine’s / Parenteau’s momentum coming into the match, Team Waters took a hard-earned game one 12-10, then captured their spot in the final by taking the second game 11-3.
This match cemented our Championship Sunday teams, with Jardim / Kovalova and Waters / Waters facing-off as the third match of the afternoon on Tennis Channel’s network. The match was considered to be the best of the day, with both teams displaying their best pickleball and their determination to capture the title. The tightly contested first game set the tone when it fell to Waters / Waters 12-10, who appeared to be unstoppable.
However, Jardim / Kovalova fought back to take game two 9-11 and it was clear that Team Waters would have to scrap for every point if they wanted to get the better of the #1 women’s doubles team in the world. Games three and four were full of epic rallies and long, emotional points, but ultimately, both went to Waters / Waters 11-8, 11-7. This won them the match and the well-deserved Orlando Cup title. Leigh Waters shed tears of joy as she hugged her daughter in triumph after the final point. Although they had come close in the past, this was the first PPA doubles title that the mother-daughter duo had won together.
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| Kyle Yates/Anna Leigh Waters vs Ben Johns/Simone Jardim (Highlight) |
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Photo Credit: Steve Miller)
Teen Pickleball Phenom Takes Third Consecutive Pro Singles Title On First Tennis Channel Broadcast
Anna Leigh Waters Won Her Third Singles Title And The Pro Women’s Doubles Title With Her Mother, Leigh Waters, At The Inaugural Orlando Cup Sunday
ORLANDO, FL (September 14, 2021) -- Delray Beach based teen Anna Leigh Waters, 14, won her third consecutive professional singles title and the pro Women’s Doubles title with her mother, Leigh Waters, at the inaugural Professional Pickleball Association (PPA) Orlando Cup, Sunday September 12, held at the largest tennis facility in the U.S., The USTA National Campus
For the first time, the Tennis Channel broadcast live coverage of four pro division finals: Men’s Singles, Women’s Singles, Men’s Doubles and Women’s Doubles. (Video, 30 seconds)
Here is the last point of Anna Leigh’s victory over Lea Jensen from the Tennis Channel broadcast. Announcer: “And third time is in fact the charm, for Anna Leigh Waters, in a weekend dominated by teenagers in the tennis world, now in the pickleball world. It's the 14-year old with another title in Orlando.”
“WOW!! Yesterday’s PPA Orlando Cup was a DREAM for us,” explains Leigh Waters. “Anna Leigh took GOLD in the singles final in straight sets winning 11-6, 11-3, 11-4 (3 out of 5 format) over Lea Jansen. Then we won our FIRST PPA TITLE in women’s dubs over Lucy Kovalova and Simone Jardim 12-10, 9-11, 11-8, 11-7. It was an amazing match with so much physicality and emotion.”
Last month, Anna Leigh won Pro Women’s Single Titles at the PPA Takeya Showcase in Newport Beach, CA and the Tournaments Of Champions in Brigham City, UT.
Anna Leigh is the youngest to win a Professional Pickleball Singles title.
Anna Leigh and her mother Leigh Waters, “the mother/daughter duo” (#TeamWaters) won the 2019 Margaritaville USA Pickleball National Championships Pro Women’s Doubles title in Indian Wells, CA. At 12 years 10 months, Anna Leigh became the youngest athlete to win a professional championship.
The TeamWaters Pickleball Story Began in 2017
“The mother/daughter duo picked up the sport back in 2017 when they evacuated their home in Florida due to Hurricane Irma and stayed with Leigh’s parents for a couple of weeks. Leigh’s dad introduced them to the sport and from there they were hooked. “I think we played like morning, noon and night for two weeks straight while we were up there and the rest is history,” said Leigh.” - Chierstin Susel, Channel 12 KPNX-TV, NBC Phoenix
Mother-daughter pickleball duo are transcending the sport (February 2021)
The inspiring mother/daughter journey can be followed on Facebook and Instagram.
Team Waters Digital Press Kit (Interviews, Tournament Videos, Highlights, Photos, Schedules)
Lynn Cherry, Pickleball Podcast: “Actually, the media kit was really helpful. It really made it very fast to prep and the timestamps on the (interview) videos were great because I could get to exactly what I wanted to see or hear. I think that is really key!”
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
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| Anna Leigh Waters, 14, and JW Johnson, 18, Pro Pickleball Singles Champions (Photo Credit: Leigh Waters/Julie Johnson) |
Pro Pickleball Teens Anna Leigh Waters and JW Johnson In Inaugural Orlando Cup
ORLANDO, FL (September 8, 2021) -- Delray Beach based teens Anna Leigh Waters, 14, and JW Johnson, 18, are top contenders for Singles Gold Medals this week at the inaugural Professional Pickleball Association (PPA) Orlando Cup, September 9-12, that will be held at the largest tennis facility in the U.S., The USTA National Campus.
Live coverage of three days, September 9-11, will be available on the PPA Facebook page and YouTube channel. On Championship Sunday, September 12, from 12:00pm ET – 6:30pm, the Tennis Channel will broadcast live coverage from 12:00pm ET – 6:30pm ET, from all five divisions finals of professional play: Men’s Singles, Women’s Singles, Men’s Doubles, Women’s Doubles, and Mixed Doubles. (Video, 30 seconds)
Last month, Anna Leigh won Pro Women’s Single Titles at the PPA Takeya Showcase in Newport Beach, CA and the Tournaments Of Champions in Brigham City, UT.
Anna Leigh is the youngest to win a Professional Pickleball Singles title.
Anna Leigh and her mother Leigh Waters, “the mother/daughter duo” (#TeamWaters) won the 2019 Margaritaville USA Pickleball National Championships Pro Women’s Doubles title in Indian Wells, CA. At 12 years 10 months, Anna Leigh became the youngest athlete to win a professional championship.
Also last month at the Tournament Of Champions, JW Johnson beat Ben Johns, 22, the #1 Singles/Doubles/Mixed Doubles Pickleball player in the world in the Men’s Singles Open
bracket : 11-9,9-11,11-3. (Highlight Reel 5+ mins)
Johns had not lost a singles match since the summer of 2020. JW broke Ben’s winning streak of over 170 matches.
The teen then faced Tyson McGuffin, the #2 singles pickleball player in the world, twice.
Winning their first match: 11-8,6-11,11-7 and then the Gold Medal Final: 11-0,9-11,11-3 (Highlight Reel 5+ mins)
JW, Jorja (JW’s 15 year old sister) and Julie (mother), APP/DUPR #1 Senior Women’s Pro Pickleball Player, travel coast-to-coast together playing in pro pickleball tournaments.
Follow JW Johnson’s Pro Pickleball journey on Facebook at JW Johnson Pickleball
The TeamWaters Pickleball Story Began in 2017
“The mother/daughter duo picked up the sport back in 2017 when they evacuated their home in Florida due to Hurricane Irma and stayed with Leigh’s parents for a couple of weeks. Leigh’s dad introduced them to the sport and from there they were hooked. “I think we played like morning, noon and night for two weeks straight while we were up there and the rest is history,” said Leigh.” - Chierstin Susel, Channel 12 KPNX-TV, NBC Phoenix
Mother-daughter pickleball duo are transcending the sport (February 2021)
The inspiring mother/daughter journey can be followed on Facebook and Instagram.
Team Waters Digital Press Kit (Interviews, Tournament Videos, Highlights, Photos, Schedules)
Lynn Cherry, Pickleball Podcast: “Actually, the media kit was really helpful. It really made it very fast to prep and the timestamps on the (interview) videos were great because I could get to exactly what I wanted to see or hear. I think that is really key!”
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